11th Grade

Each student is provided the opportunity to meet with their school counselor each year for a grade level visit. At these visits we discuss graduation progress, courses they need for the following year, and post-secondary planning. Below is information that is discussed in those meetings along with additional resources. 

High School Planning

Things you can do as a 11th grader to stay informed of the things happening in the counseling office:

• •  Check your email regularly  - email is a main form of communication about school wide announcements and how many of your teachers try to connect with you about important information. 

  • Check the Counseling Website 

  • Follow us on Instagram @linnmarhscounseling

Check out the college & career events held at Linn-Mar. Find the calendar here. 

• • Visit with college admission counselors at the high school, go to college fairs, or go on college visits.

Participate in clubs, sports, or other activities. Check out Linn-Mar’s REACH booklet for clubs and activities offered at the high school. 

To find information on Linn-mar classes and requirements to graduate go here.

Career Planning

Look at our career resources page for more information on career planning. 

Job Shadows and Internships - Workplace Learning Connection: Students in grades 10-12 can participate in 3 job shadows per school year. Students can participate in internships the summer after 10th grade. The job shadow and internship portal opens at various times through the year. 

Military- find more information regarding the military here. 

Apprenticeships - find more information about apprenticeships here. 

College Planning

Look at our college resources page for more information on college planning. 

ACT or SAT: University-bound students are encouraged to take the ACT/SAT, though many schools are now test-optional. The ACT & SAT are important admissions exams that can play a significant role in your application process and financial aid. ACT is popular among many Linn-Mar students, but you may choose between the ACT and SAT based on your preferred testing format. Click the link to get test prep resources and to register for the test.

• • It is recommended that students take the ACT the spring of their junior year. This timing allows students to have completed most of the coursework covered on the test. 

Transferology - If you have taken Kirkwood courses and would like to see how they transfer to different colleges you are looking at, Transferology is a good resource. You can create an account and add the college courses you have taken. Not all colleges use this tool. 

AP Courses: If you are wondering what score you need on an AP course for college credit and how that transfers to a specific college, you can look up that information here. 

Kirkwood Courses: Linn-Mar offers a variety of Kirkwood course opportunities online or in-person at Linn-Mar. You can find more information about Kirkwood offerings at the attached link. 

General Admission Requirements to 4 year colleges/universities (minimum number of required high school courses/typical ACT scores/typical GPA) 

• • *individual colleges determine their own admission requirements

RAI - Iowa Regent Admissions Index - Students must have an RAI of 245 or greater and minimum number of required high school classes to qualify for automatic admission into U of Iowa, UNI, or ISU. 

Scholarships- Juniors can apply for some national scholarships. Check out the ‘National Scholarship’ and ‘Scholarship Database Websites’ tabs on the attached document for scholarships that you can apply for as a junior. 

Common App - You can create an account through Common App and get started on college applications. This will give you a head-start for next year and you can prepare essays for potential questions. When you create an account, select you will be starting Fall 2025. The application you start will roll over for the 2025-26 application year on August 1st.

• • Common Applications need to be linked to your Xello account so that the School Counselor can fill out their reports and upload transcripts. Watch here if you need assistance.